Longarrow's Dreamcatchers
by Not A Droid
Summary: Written for CCOAC Halloween challenge. Five years after the end of Season 7, Spencer Reid has left the FBI and his living out of a RV near Las Vegas. He finds himself drawn into an extraordinary adventure with his friend, Longarrow, and a face from his past ...Emily Prentiss Will be a multi-chaptered piece
1. The Hermit Crab

_Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any character associated with it, no copyright infringement is intended_.

_A/N: Written for CCOAC's Stephen King Challenge. For a little while now, I've had a vague story idea swimming in my head. Five years after the end of season 7, Reid is no longer in the FBI and living out of a RV in Nevada near an Indian reservation. Emily finds him there and together they begin an adventure._

_This writing challenge gives me the perfect excuse to breathe some lift into this shadowy plot bunny._

* * *

Some adventures begin with a phone call in the night. Other adventures begin with explosions and fanfare. This one, however, begins with two FBI agents banging on the door of an RV.

This particular RV was parked a few miles outside the city of Las Vegas, Nevada. Next to the door of the RV was a sign that said "Bag's End". What the agents didn't know was that this was the latest version of the sign. The sign used to say "The Isle of Misfit Toys", before that it said, "Avalon", and before that "441B Baker St." They didn't know any of the earlier versions of the signs, but they did know the identity of the man who owned the RV.

"Dr. Reid! Open the door Dr. Reid," one of them said.

Inside the RV, Dr. Spencer Reid groaned. He was still in bed. There was a time when he woke up early and came when called, but that was when he worked for the FBI, and he quit the FBI four years ago. Dr. Reid knew the two men would keep banging on the door until he answered. He briefly considered just yelling for them to go away, but he knew that wouldn't make them leave. So he threw on a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, and answered the door.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a casual tone.

"Dr. Reid?" one of the agents began,"We're from ..."

"The FBI office in Las Vegas? I know. I'm assuming Agent Bryson sent you. Or did Derek Morgan send you? In any case, whatever it is, I'm not interested."

"Dr. Reid, Agent Bryson sent us to take you to the office. He said to tell you it's important."

"No."

"He told us not to take no for an answer."

"Well, you're going to have to."

"Put some shoes on, you're coming with us."

"I'm really not."

"You don't have a choice."

"Careful. You have a witness." Dr. Reid pointed behind them. The agents turned around to see a Native American male in his 40s.

"Hey Dr. Reid. Is this a bad time?"

"Who's that," one of the agents asked.

"He's part of my legal team."

"You don't have a legal team."

"But he has a sister who lives on the reservation, and she is a lawyer. She also has half a dozen reporters on speed dial. Every so often he walks from the reservation to here. She'll call me when she realizes he's gone. If she can't get a hold of me, she'll start calling people until she finds him. Do you want to risk media exposure with someone from the reservation?"

The agents looked uncertain.

"I know," Dr. Reid said sympathetically," Agent Bryson wanted you to deliver me. But then you have a whole lot of unwanted publicity standing right there. I'll tell you what, I have to take him back to the reservation, it's in town. I'll stop by. I promise. If I don't, you can stop by tomorrow. The day after he wanders, his sister keeps a closer watch on him. So, if you stop by tomorrow, we won't be interrupted. How's that?"

The agents nodded and left.

The Native American walked up to the RV and smiled. "Hey Dr. Reid. I hope you're friends didn't leave on my account."

"Does your sister know you're here Longarrow?"

"I left her a note."

"Uh huh. I guess we better get you back home then."

"Not yet, we have to talk first."

"About what?"

"She's coming."

"Who's coming?"

"You know, The Woman with the Sad Eyes."

Spencer Reid met Longarrow when he came back home to Las Vegas. Longarrow's real name was John Rutherford, but he wouldn't answer to that name. He was a little bit off, and from the moment Reid met him, Longarrow said one day Reid would leave with a woman who had sad eyes and brunette hair. He didn't always talk about her, but every so often Longarrow would tell Reid she was coming.

Reid tried to find a pattern in it, but he never could.

Reid made breakfast for himself and Longarrow, then he drove his friend back to the Paiute Indian Colony. While they were driving in Reid's old pickup truck, his phone rang. It was Longarrow's sister, Megan.

"Spencer, is my brother with you?"

"We're on our way. I'm sorry, I should have called."

"It's all right, he did leave a note, so I knew where he was headed."

"You weren't concerned?"

"He always leaves the same note. 'Off to see the hermit crab. Be back soon.'"

It was a joke Reid made once, that living in a RV was like being a hermit crab. So Longarrow referred to Reid as 'the hermit crab'.

"Anyway, Megan said,"I should have known he was going to go see you. He was painting last night."

Longarrow was a skilled painter, and he had made several paintings. Some Reid had seen, but some Longarrow wouldn't show him. He always claimed it wasn't time.

When Reid got to Megan's house, Longarrow said,"come into the studio, Doc."

"Why?"

"It's time."

"Time for what?"

"To see her. I mean, she's coming soon, so you should be able to recognize her, you know?"

He showed Reid into the small shed behind his sister's house where he painted. There, on an easel, was his latest painting. It was a picture of Reid, in front of a burning building. Standing next to him was a woman with raven-black hair and soulful eyes. The woman was clearly, Emily Prentiss.


	2. The Woman with Sad Eyes

_Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any character associated with it, no copyright infringement is intended_.

* * *

The sun was just about to set when Spencer Reid parked his truck next the RV. He had spent most of it on the reservation. The good part about having friends there was that police and the FBI didn't go to bother him there. It helped that Megan Rutherford was the Tribe's lawyer. It also helped that she won a harassment case against LVPD two years ago.

Reid got out of the truck, sat down in a folding chair and watched the sunset. It was beautiful, the sky turning deep colors of blue, yellow and red. It gave Reid a contented feeling all over. As he watched the sunset, he also contemplated the poles that were placed in the ground around the trailer. To the causal observer, they looked like a strange kind of ornament, but Reid knew they were dreamcatchers.

They didn't like any other dreamcatchers, which were round. These were more oval and came to a point on each end, so they resembled an eye. Longarrow made them, and whenever Spencer told him they weren't made right, Longarrow gave him a pitying smile.

After the sun had set, Ried pulled out his cellphone and called Agent Bryson.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

"I thought you were coming in."

"I was. Then I changed my mind. Maybe tomorrow. Or the next day."

"This isn't a request, we need your help."

"You knew where I was going, you could have come over."

"You mean on the reservation? The last time we did that, your friend Megan Rutherford turned it into a media circus."

"You can be bit a clownish, I guess. I'm actually surprised you didn't just wait for me here."

"That didn't seem like a good idea, not with your friends there."

"Friends?"

"Don't play dumb, there were two Indians sitting there all day. I'm assuming Megan sent them."

"I have a lot of friends at the reservation. I guess they were concerned my trailer might not be secure."

"When I send agents, it isn't a whim. The BAU asked me to bring you in."

"Why didn't they call me?"

"Probably because you never answer your phone. You screen messages and, if you feel like it, you call on a disposable cell phone."

"I do like my privacy."

"What is this? Do you have a problem with the Bureau? Or them? Or is it me?"

"Why can't it be all three at once?"

"You can't still be pissed at me. It was high school."

"That doesn't constitute an apology."

"You are a son of a bitch, you know that? People need your help and you're holding on to past hurts. You like playing bullshit games, and people are ... "

"You know, I used to go all over the country at the drop of a hat. But that was then, now I just want to be left alone."

"I would love to, but I was told this is a case that requires you."

"Well tough." Reid hung up the phone. He imagined the look of irritation on Agent Bryson's face; it made him smile.

Reid sat for another 15 minutes, enjoying the night air, when he heard something moving. His eyes darted as he tried to see what was making the noise. It sounded like footsteps. He a few lanterns lit, but they didn't offer much light. "Who's there?" It was one of the few times he wished he still had a gun.

"You are a hard man to reach, Dr. Reid," a familiar voice said.

Spencer Reid kept trying to tell himself it was impossible when Emily Prentiss walked into the light. "I like your place," she said," it's a little bare bones for my taste, but it's nice."

"Hello Emily. It's been a while."

"Almost four years. You look well. I like the beard."

Reid's hand touched the slight beard he had been growing. It came down from his ears down to his chin, with none of it touching his cheeks. It was an experiment Reid was trying, but he wasn't certain he liked it. "Thanks. This is a surprise. To what do I owe this visit?"

"I think Morgan's been trying to get in touch with you about a case."

"What does that have to do with you? I thought you were still at INTERPOL?"

"I am. We asked for the BAU's help. I think you would be a great help for this."

Reid let out a little laugh.

"What's so funny," Emily asked.

"Longarrow was right."

"Longarrow?"

"He's a friend of mine. He said you would be coming. The funny thing is that he's been saying it for the last three years. Oh, he didn't use your name. He called you the Woman with Sad Eyes."

"I've been called worse."

"I had some choice words for you."

"I know. I'm sorry I hurt you. That wasn't my intent."

"Of course not. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I don't do cases anymore. I don't go on adventures. I have a comfortable life sitting in my chair. When I want company, I visit the reservation. I visit Mom a couple of times a week. I even visit Dad every few weeks. What ever you're working on, I want no part of."

"Spencer ..."

Reid stood up, "whatever it is, I don't care. Go back to London, and tea and whatever you do to keep warm. I don't have time for games."

"We need you."

"No, you don't. I'm going to bed, so unless you want to join me, go away."

"Would that do it?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Would you help me if I had sex with you?"

"I ..." Reid's comment about joining him in bed had been a joke. In poor taste, sure, but just a joke. He knew his bitterness towards Emily and the BAU was unwarranted, but he felt no desire to get involved in a case. What he told her was true, he liked his life now. Still...

"Sure, Emily. That would do it. If you come into the trailer right now, I'll help you." He didn't really meant it, of course, but he was certain she wasn't really going to have sex with him right now.

She walked to him,"That's good. For a minute, I thought this was going to be difficult." Before Reid could say anything else, she started kissing him.

The kiss was unexpectedly hungry, passionate, and even a little desperate. As she kissed him, Reid's brain was trying to get his attention. From the moment she came here, there was something wrong. There was something he wasn't paying attention to, a vital detail he would regret missing, but Reid chose to ignore that part of his mind.

When the kiss ended, Emily said,"I'm not just doing it for the case. I want you to know that."

"You'll have to pardon my disbelief but ..."

Emily interrupted him by kissing him again, even more passionately than before. Somehow in the midst of it, they ended up in trailer. Sooner than he expected, Reid was naked, and Emily was shedding her clothes as well. Soon their naked bodies intertwined and moved against each other with more passion than Reid could have imagined.

When it was over, Emily's head lay of Reid's chest. "I meant it."

"Meant what," Reid asked.

"I'm not just doing this for the case. This is something I've been thinking about for a while. It's just ... you never seemed particularly interested in things like this."

"Well, I guess I tried for a long time to avoid things like this. They always seemed to get in the way or at least not work out."

"And now? Do you try to avoid them now?"

"Try to? No. But the opportunities don't seem to present themselves either."

"Ah." Emily's eyes saw one of Longarrow's dreamcatchers hanging overhead. "What's that?"

"A dreamcatcher."

"No it's not. Dreamcatchers are round. The hoop is supposed to be a circle with the netting inside to look a spider web. The netting catches the bad dreams and lets the good dream through. I saw these outside too. Did you make these?"

"No. My friend Longarrow did."

"Longarrow?"

"His name is John Rutherford, but everyone calls him Longarrow. Anyway, he says these are special dreamcatchers. They keep dark spirits away, not just dreams. He said all the ones outside will make it so the spirits can't even find me."

"Do you believe him?"

"I don't know. He was insistent I hang them up all over so I did. I even sent them to people. Mom has one, so does Dad. I sent some to JJ."

"That's where I've seen them before. She sent one to me."

"I asked her to. I don't why it just seemed to be the thing to do. I even sent a few to Declan."

"You did?"

"Yeah. I guess I figured if anyone deserved protection from dark spirits, it was him."

"That's why..." She broke off her sentence, like she was in the middle of a thought process and speaking was impeding her from thinking. Then she looked at Reid. "Oh you sweet, sweet man."

Then she kissed him again, this time even more passionately than before. That lead to more sex, but it was different. She was even more passionate, almost like a wild animal. Reid didn't know exactly what got into her, but he sensed he had something to do with it. And Declan.

This time, when they were done, he fell asleep almost immediately. Right before he did, though, she whispered in his ear,"thank you. And I'm sorry."

* * *

When Reid woke up in the morning, Emily was gone. The only trace of her that he found was a large manila envelope that felt like it was stuffed with case files. On the front of it was a post it note that said ,"For Dr. Reid."

He thought about opening it, but decided he would wait., He hadn't even had coffee yet.

He threw on some clothes and went outside. He didn't see her outside, he didn't even see any sign of a vehicle besides his. Well, he saw the tracks of the SUV from yesterday but ...

He grabbed his phone and called a number he hadn't used in a while. "Hey Morgan. It's me."

"Kid? Is that you?"

"Yeah. I thought I'd talk to you instead of going through your surrogates."

"Thanks."

"I have to say, using Emily as a go-between was a good idea."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you sent her, didn't you? Or was that all her idea?"

"Reid, are you saying you saw Emily?"

"Yeah. She was here last night."

"That's impossible."

"What do you mean?"

"Kid, she's the case. Part of it anyway. She disappeared from London 6 weeks ago."


	3. Wake Up Call

_Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any character associated with it, no copyright infringement is intended_.

_A/N: I appreciate all the positive feedback I've been getting on this story. It will be getting a little out there in terms of plot, but it is a Stephen King-themed challenge for Halloween, so I think its appropriate. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter._

* * *

Longarrow was asleep in his bed when he heard someone say his name. "Not now," he mumbled sleepily and rolled over. Whatever it was the voices wanted, it could wait. Sometimes the visions were bad enough, but the voices that interrupted his sleep were such a pain in the ass. Yesterday they woke him to say he should tell Dr. Reid the Woman with Sad Eyes was coming. That was fine, he liked seeing Dr. Reid, but waking him up early two days in a row was asking too much.

"Longarrow."

This was a different voice, it didn't sound like the other ones. It certainly wasn't Grandmother, this was a male voice. Then again, two of the voices were male. Whoever the voice belonged to, he wasn't getting up for it.

"I don't have time for this." No sooner had this intrusive voice spoken, then Longarrow's sheets and blankets were yanked off his body.

"Hey!" Longarrow sat up to see Dr. Reid standing in his room, holding onto his sheets. "What are you doing here?"

"We've got to get going. We need to get your paintings in my truck."

"Why?"

"We have a meeting at the FBI."

"We have what?"

"A meeting. A teleconference with my former colleagues in Quantico."

"What for? And why do we need my paintings?"

"Because I know the who Woman with Sad Eyes is. She's a friend of mine, and she's missing. So, we need the paintings to help find her. Get dressed and lets go."

"Grandmother didn't say anything about this."

"Grandmother?"

"Yeah. She told me I should come see you yesterday."

"Does she talk to you often?"

"Sometimes. She likes you. I think she your friend too. Grandmother's worried about her I think."

"That makes two of us. I'll be in the other room while you get dressed. Megan's making coffee for us."

Reid left Longarrow to get dressed, and went into the kitchen.

"So what's going on?" Meagan asked.

"I need your brother's help."

"For what, exactly?"

"You've seen his paintings?"

"You mean of that woman? The one who's coming to see you?"

"Who came to see me."

"She's here?"

"No. She came to my trailer last night."

"She's a real person? I thought she was someone he saw in a magazine or some he met when he was at Bennington."

"No. She's a friend of mine."

"Oh?"

"Well, a former colleague, anyway. The thing is, apparently she's been missing for 6 weeks."

"But you saw her last night."

"And now she's gone again. This is the case the FBI wants my help with."

"And you think his paintings can help you find her?"

"I don't know. But I find it's best to look at everything with an open-mind. The whole thing is pretty strange."

"I would say so. I never thought my brother would be helping the FBI."

"I never I thought I would either."

"I did."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know what happened before you left, but it's been clear to me something bad happened. Someone you worked with pissed you off or something, but you'll go back. It just took the right circumstance."

"I'm not back. It's just...my friend, the one who's missing? She's been in trouble before. Last time though, she didn't ask for help and she almost died. This time she's asking for help."

"Before she disappeared again."

"Yeah."

They were both quiet for a moment, then Reid broke the silence.

"He said Grandmother talks to him. Isn't your grandmother dead?"

"All of our grandparents are dead."

"Did he ever talk to them before?"

"He just heard voices, he never told me they had names. What do you think it means?"

"I don't know. There was a time I would have passed it off as delusion, except his delusion predicted Emily coming to see me."

"So what does that mean, exactly?"

"It means I need your brother and his paintings, along with what the FBI and INTERPOL know to figure it out."

"INTERPOL?"

"She works for INTERPOL. She disappeared while on a case. They spent 2 weeks tearing London apart looking for her, then they reached out to my old unit."

"And they haven't been able to find her?"

"That's why called me."

"I don't understand?"

"I'm good at absorbing a lot of information very quickly, and making connections no one else can make."

"I see."

* * *

A little while later, Spencer and Longarrow were in Reid's pickup, all the paintings wrapped up and loaded. They were headed to the FBI office when Longarrow suddenly said, "You got laid last didn't you?"

"What?"

"You got laid last night. I couldn't tell before because I was half-asleep, but now I can."

"No I didn't."

"You can deny it if you want to, but you've got bedroom eyes. You got laid. It was the Woman with Sad Eyes, wasn't it?"

"Her name is Emily. They're going to refer to her as Emily Prentiss."

"They could call her Queen Victoria if they want to, it won't change the fact that you had sex with her."

"Fine, I had sex with her. So what?"

"It's about time. I'm sure Megan will be disappointed."

"We don't have that kind of relationship."

"But she's thought about it."

"Your sister has a boyfriend."

"That doesn't mean she hasn't thought about it."

"It will be really good if you didn't mention Emily and I had sex."

"You don't think they'll realize you have bedroom eyes?"

"I don't have bedroom eyes, you just think I do."

"Bu you did have sex last night."

"Yes."

"With this Emily?"

"Yes."

"I always wondered why she was coming to see you. I didn't think it was a social call."

"She was asking for my help."

"For what?"

"It's complicated."

"No it's not."

"It really is."

"What's complicated about it?"

"She wanted my help with a case, and she's the case."

"What's complicated about that? She wants you to help find her."

"Then why didn't she stay last night?"

"I don't know."

"Something else, the case she was working on? It involved a man named Ian Doyle."

"So?"

"People all over Europe reporting seeing him."

"So?"

"He's been dead for 5 years."

"That makes sense."

"What does?"

"Well, Grandmother told me that the barriers between this world and where the dead go aren't real solid right now. It happens every so often."

"Really?"

"Yeah. This Doyle? Was he a bad guy?"

"Yes he was."

"Well there you go. He's probably gathering at the Dark Place."

"Dark Place?"

"When the barriers aren't solid, there a place where the bad spirits gather. They seek out their enemies. I guess this Doyle was hunting his old enemies."

"Like Emily."

"Right."

"Then what was she doing at my place last night?"

"That's a good question."

"I was hoping you had an answer."

"Not right now."

"Thanks."

They didn't speak again until they reached the FBI office.


	4. Prepping the Conference Room

_Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any character associated with it, no copyright infringement is intended_.

_A/N: I'm sorry for the delay in the update, I was greatly distracted with the election this week. _

* * *

Special Agent William Bryson was a native of Las Vegas, like Spencer Reid. In fact, he went to the same high school as Spencer did. That's as a far as the similarity between the two men went. Bryson was a little taller than Reid and twice as broad, it wouldn't surprise anyone that he played football in high school and college. Bryson had been at the Vegas office for 5 years, and for the last three he wished he had never heard of Spencer Reid.

It wasn't that Spencer was a bad guy, it was just the grown-up Spencer Reid was in many ways similar to the 12-year old Spencer Agent Bryson went to school with; he was different and everyone made a fuss over him. The problem now was that every few months someone in the Bureau would want Reid to consult on a case. Well, that wasn't the real problem. The real problem was that _he_ was the one who had to go out and ask Reid.

The scrawny genius found new and different ways to tell Agent Bryson to go away. Over the last three years, Spencer had found a way to make it seem like Bryson's office was targeting him or the residents of the reservation. Bryson had been caused more personal and professional grief caused by Reid than by anything else in his life.

This morning he was surprised when he received a phone call from SSA Derek Morgan to set up a videoconference call. Agent Morgan told him that Reid had agreed to consult on the case and Bryson should set up a conference room. Bryson figured somehow Morgan prevailed on Reid to help. He knew Reid had a personal connection to both Morgan and the missing agent, so maybe that meant Spencer Reid would act like a normal person for once, and be a team player.

That good feeling started to go away when Reid and Longarrow arrived.

"What's he doing here?" Bryson asked, pointing at Longarrow.

"He's with me. We need his help."

"His help?" Bryson exploded. "He's a whack job. Do you think I don't know who he is? Or that he was a patient with your mother at Bennington?"

"I would be disappointed if you didn't know that. I'm assuming you talked with Agent Morgan? About the videoconference?"

"Yeah, but he didn't say anything about anyone but you."

"Well, we're a package deal. He either comes with me or you can explain to Agent Morgan why I'm not available."

Bryson relented and showed them to the conference room.

"We have a few things to bring in from my truck," Reid said.

"What kind of things?"

"Some visual aids that will be invaluable in our discussion."

"Fine."

"I'll need a few easels for them."

"I send a few agents in to help you set up."

"Good. By the way, thanks for the case file."

"What case file?"

"The one your agents left in my trailer."

"They didn't enter your trailer. They didn't get near your trailer after you left. Not with your two friends there guarding it."

"They didn't wait for those two to leave?"

"Not once it started to get dark. They had better things to do than just wait around for you."

Bryson turned around walked away.

As they walked back down to the truck, Reid pulled out his cellphone and called Megan.

"What's going on, Dr. Reid?"

"Just a quick question, did you send someone to look after my trailer yesterday?"

"Why would I do that?"

"You've done it before."

"When you've asked, but you didn't mention it. Why?"

"Don't worry about it."

"The FBI was watching you again yesterday, weren't they?"

"Yeah."

"And the trailer?"

"They said there two Native Americans there."

"I didn't send anyone. What's going on?"

"I don't know. Is there medication your brother needs? If he needs to travel, I mean."

"Travel?"

"I need his help and sometimes these cases involve travel."

"Yeah, I have a pillbox for him."

"OK. I'll call you if we need to travel, thanks."

* * *

Agent Bryson walked into the conference room about an hour later, and couldn't believe his eyes. The easels that Reid had asked for were being used to display a series of paintings.

Paintings!

"What the hell is this!"

Reid's reaction to Bryson's bellow was incredibly measured. "We're all set up."

"This is a conference room, not an art gallery!"

"That much I knew," Longarrow said.

"Is this a joke to you?" Bryson's death stare was leveled at Reid. "Are you getting a good laugh out of this?"

"Actually," Reid said," I'm very serious about this. Trust me."

"Explain to me what the pictures are," Bryson said with an air of resignation.

"It's complicated and I really don't want to go over it twice. Let me just point something out. This," he indicated Emily in one of the paintings," is Agent Prentiss."

"I know. And you painted a picture of her, congratulations. One more thing you do well."

"I didn't paint it. He did and he's never seen her. He's been painting this pictures for 3 years."

"How?"

"Let me suggest that we all have to let go of our assumptions regarding the laws of physics."

"What do you mean?"

"Emily Prentiss was at my trailer last night."

"Was?"

"She was gone this morning. And I can't tell how she got there or how she left. It almost looks like she just disappeared."

"Disappeared?"

"Like that," Reid snapped his fingers.

"Disappeared to where? And where has she been?"

"Careful what you ask," Longarrow said. "You should never ask a question unless you're certain you can handle the answer."

* * *

_A/N: I meant the meeting of the minds to be 1 chapter, but it was going to be too long. I'm also considering giving everyone a glimpse of where Emily is, but I'm not certain yet. I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. _


	5. Emily's Choice

_Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any character associated with it, no copyright infringement is intended_.

_A/N: I'm sorry about the delay in update. It's been a rough several weeks, but I hope to get myself and my writing back on track._

* * *

While Reid, Longarrow and Agent Bryson prepared for the teleconference, there was another meeting going on.

This meeting was taking place in what appeared to be a diner. I say appeared, because no ordinary person ever set foot in this place. No ordinary person ever could. This particular diner existed on the crossroads from this reality and all the others. Sitting in a booth, finishing her cup of coffee, was Emily Prentiss.

She had finished eating her breakfast, which had consisted of scrambled eggs, hash browns, sausage, and toast. Sitting across from her was an American Indian, dressed in blue jeans, a black T-shirt and a denim jacket.

"I need to go back," Emily said.

"Back where?"

"The Dark Place." She never heard a better name for it, or really any name for it. Ever since this began 6 weeks ago, names seemed to be inaedequate for what she dealt with.

"That's a really bad idea," the man said.

"I have to go back."

"No you don't. In fact, I think it's a terrible idea."

"It's not your choice, Spider," said another man. Like Spider, he was a Native American. He wore jeans, cowboy boots, a flannel shirt and leather motorcycle jacket. Emily never caught his name, but the man she had come to know as Spider called him C.

"I never said it was C," Spider said,"I'm just telling her it's a bad idea." Spider looked at Emily,"look, you said your friend was coming, right? Why not wait for him? Or better yet, let me take you to him, and you can explain the whole thing. Then you guys can go there with reinforcements. That's a great idea. Right C?"

"But that's not the way it works," said the woman known as Grandmother. She was a short, dumpy woman with grey hair and dark eyes. She was the cook and, as far as Emily could tell, the only one who actually worked at the diner. "Are you done eating, dear?" she asked Emily.

"Yes. Thank you."

Grandmother smiled at her, and started to gather up the empty dishes. "What the Young Spider says is true enough. You could wait here or go get your friends. That is a choice you can make. But if you choose to go back to the Darkness, he will take you there."

"Oh come on," Spider began, but then Grandmother glared at him and his protest died away.

"However," Grandmother continued," you need to understand that every time you go back there, you risk being trapped there. Soon the barriers between worlds will be back in place. If you're there when that happens, we can't help you. But the choice is yours."

"Then, if the choice is mine, then I go back. I need to free as many as I can."

"Your funeral," C said. Then he walked to his seat at the counter and drank some more coffee.

Grandmother took Emily's dishes away, leaving Emily and Spider alone together.

"Reid's dreamcatchers, do they really protect him?"

"To a point," Spider said. "If you mean are they keeping enemies from finding him or the others...yeah, they'll do that. But I wouldn't count on the one you have to do that. It only works in your world. It's useless in hiding from your Enemies in their den."

"That's okay. As long as the others are safe, that's all I need to know. Did you give him the file?"

"I left it for him, like you asked. This is really stupid, you know."

"Maybe. But if I go back, it will be days before anyone will come. This is the best way."

"If you say so. Come one, let's go."

As they left the diner, Spider said to C," this is a little like murder, you know?"

"Then don't do it. Just disobey Grandmother."

"Nothing doing."

C shook his head as Spider and Emily left. He really hated rules, especially stupid rules like this one. He was almost tempted to intervene.

Almost. But he didn't like to stick his neck out for anyone, not even a pretty girl like Emily. Maybe she was right. Maybe Spencer Reid was smart enough to figure this out.

Maybe Longarrow would be able to help enough for them to get here. Maybe they would be in time before it all ended. Maybe ...

Then again, maybe not. C shifted in his seat only to find Grandmother standing there with her arms crossed.

"You weren't thinking about breaking the rules and interfering, were you?"

"The thought crossed my mind."

"You know better."

"Doesn't mean I won't."

She glared at him, and he smiled back at her.

"I'm not like Spider. I'm not afraid of you and I'm not looking for protection from you."

"Not yet."

"Well, keep your skirt on, I'm not interfering yet."

"Good."

When she was gone, he said,"But that doesn't mean I won't."


End file.
